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Desert Spiny Lizard
 
Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister )
By John D. Windes, Nongame Biologist
 
Scientific Name:
Sceloporus magister. The Latin Scelo, meaning leg, and porus, meaning pore, refer to femoral pores on underside of hind legs common to many lizards. The Latin magister means teacher.

Description:
At 3.5-5.5 inches long (excluding tail), a large "spiny lizard. Called spiny due to enlarged and pointy scales, or "bluebelly,' due to blue undersides of many species. Blue patches, edged in black, run down sides of belly, joining posteriorly to cover entire groin area, mixing into brown anteriorly. Dorsal coloration dark and often flecked with metallic greens and yellows; a dark wedge, geographically variable in color, occurs on each side of neck in all populations. Adult males have blue throat patch. In females, blue belly patches may be weak or absent, and if breeding, head may have red to orange tint.
 
Habitat:
As its name implies, the desert spiny inhabits arid to semi-arid regions, both upland and riparian. A good climber, it prefers rock piles and trees as basking sites. It may be found from low desert to 5,000 feet in any habitat that provides cover in the form of rock piles, crevices in cliffs, woody debris, undercut wash banks, wood rat nests, rodent burrows, logs, or trees. It is less common in open creosote flats or other areas affording little cover.
 
Distribution:
Range envelopes Arizona; occurs in most of the Chihuahuan, Sonoran, Mohave, and southern Great Basin deserts. Four subspecies in Arizona: Sonoran in the southwest, twin-spotted in the southeast, yellow-backed in the northwest, and orange-headed in the Four Corners area. Absent only from higher elevations, particularly Mogollon Plateau and White Mountains.
 
Biology:
A diurnal species with a reputation for being shy, desert spiny lizards are best located with binoculars, then approached slowly. Look for them at the tops of rocks. Upon approach, you may notice the lizard head-bobbing or "doing push-ups' and displaying belly patches. These displays serve several functions, depending on who sees them. Flattened to the substrate, or viewed from above, the lizard blends into its surroundings. Evolutionarily, reproductive success is greater for animals that remain hidden from predators, yet stand out when wanting to be noticed, such as when trying to attract a mate. The push-up display allows for otherwise hidden areas to be seen by a target audience that may include others of the same species, similar species competing for resources, or predators. Males, which have the most brightly colored bellies, must defend territories against invading males, and attract mates. Females are better served by less obvious coloration. This difference between the sexes, termed sexual dimorphism, is analogous to antlers on elk. A competing male seeing a displaying male may "keep its distance.' A female may be attracted and even enticed to mate. To us, a bobbing lizard may seem an easy target. It may be the lizard's way of saying "I see you, don't bother.' If scared into hiding, it will likely re-emerge shortly, allowing spectators to observe at a distance.

Breeding occurs in early summer; hatchlings appear August to September. In warmer months, most of the day is spent basking and feeding. A generalized feeder, the desert spiny opportunistically consumes arthropods, other lizards, and occasionally plant material. It uses ambush, as well as active foraging strategy. Its predators include roadrunners, hawks, snakes, and bullfrogs. Desert spiny lizards hibernate in winter, except for brief activity on warmest days.
 
Status:
he desert spiny lizard is not listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service as threatened or endangered, and is not on the Arizona Game and Fish Department's list of Wildlife of Special Concern in Arizona (AGFD in prep.). It appears to be doing well in the state, and is common and often locally abundant within appropriate habitats in Arizona.
 
Management Needs:
No special land management actions are needed to conserve this common but fascinating species. However, suburban and rural homeowners may enhance or maintain its habitat by landscaping with native plants, rocks, and boulders, and by keeping their house cats under control.
 
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